Sunday, January 05, 2014

South Sudanese Christians call for end to violence

Christian leaders in South Sudan have responded to new violence with a
call for peace and reconciliation, urging their countrymen to reject
efforts to sow division along ethnic lines.
“This should not be turned into an ethnic problem. Sadly, on the ground
it is developing into tribalism. This must be defused urgently before it
spreads,” church leaders in Juba said in a Dec. 17 message, according
to Aid to the Church in Need.

The South Sudan Council of Churches, an interdenominational Christian
group, on Dec. 18 similarly warned that despite reports of ethnic
violence, the conflict should not be considered an ethnic conflict at
its root. They implored the Dinka and Nuer communities not to see each
other as enemies.

“We are concerned about the reports of abuse, harassment and killing of
individual citizens based on their ethnic affiliation,” the churches’
council said. “These are happening and witnessed for the last three
days. Soldiers are asking civilians to identify themselves by tribes and
we cannot accept to be identified by our tribes as we are all South
Sudanese. We condemn such acts of abuse and hope that no more human
lives should be lost.”

Both groups condemned the violence and characterized the conflict as
“political differences” within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement
Party.

Fighting broke out in the South Sudan capital of Juba in mid-December
following a power struggle between the country’s president, Salva Kiir,
and former vice president Riek Machar, the BBC News reports. At least
1,000 people have been killed, with some killings reportedly being
targeted by ethnicity.

President Kiir is from the Dinka ethnicity and former vice president
Machar is of the Nuer ethnicity. The president dismissed Machar from
office in July.

Almost 200,000 people have been displaced and many lack shelter, clean
water and sanitation. A state of emergency was declared in the nation on
Jan. 1.

There are increasing tensions in the rebel-held city of Bor in Jonglei
state and Bentu, in Unity state, which is also rebel-held. Military
build-ups have prompted fears of increased fighting.

Peace talks between the factions began Jan. 3 in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s foreign minister Tedros Adhanom said initial talks between
mediators and the warring factions were “fruitful,” the BBC reports.

Church leaders in Juba condemned the violence and expressed their
condolences for the victims and their families.

They invoked the
biblical story of two women feuding over the custody of a child before
King David.

One woman agreed to cut the boy in two rather than lose
possession of him to his true mother.

They called for reconciliation between the political leaders, offering themselves as mediators.

They urged security forces to show “restraint and responsibility” and to
respect civilians.

They urged the government, the United Nations and
NGOs to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced people, including
food and water.

They prayed for “the strength and courage to bring peace, reconciliation and healing to our new nation.”

The South Sudan churches’ council called for “speedy justice” for
criminal acts but also “reconciliation for political differences.”

“We appeal to our political leaders to refrain from hate speeches that
may incite and escalate the violence. We urge to initiate dialogues and
resolve issues amicably,” the council said.

“We are gathered, united and
speaking in one voice that peace and reconciliation must prevail in our
country.”

South Sudan became an independent country in 2011 after decades of conflict with Sudan to its north.

That conflict also included infighting among some South Sudanese.

In
1991, Machar’s split from the existing rebel movement sparked fighting
along tribal lines that caused the massacre of 2,000 people in the town
of Bor.